Degrassi Episode (and Video) Review: 99 Problems Pt. 2

[WARNING: THIS EPISODE REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS]

MAIN PLOT: Riley’s hazing of Drew could lead to big trouble for Degrassi’s football team.
Before we can even blink, the Riley and Owen haze Drew at the beginning of the episode by tying him to the flagpole in front of the school. Drew’s mom is livid and wants whoever did it to pay. Though parents like this exists, it’s annoying that she’s the main vehicle for this plot because she’s more angry that her son isn’t the guaranteed starter than she is about the actual hazing.

It also slightly waters down the rivalry between Riley and Drew, because Drew keeps quiet about who did it, and he also drops the notion of outing Riley to the team. Basically the plot goes into a direction where it forces Riley to confess that he hazed Drew (Drew’s mom fulfilled her promise to complain to the school board), and he’s suspended for five games. Zane is such a great character because he serves as Riley’s reality check. Riley also implants a little hope that someday he’ll be able to come out to the world.

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SUBPLOT 1: Alli starts her own dance team.
Alli starts the “Big D Dance Crue,” and recruits new character Bianca. It turns out Bianca’s an experienced dancer, and she looks to whip the team into shape. The problem is Alli doesn’t want that; the whole point of the group is that SHE would become popular because of its existence…she doesn’t want to actually work for it.

The team quits on her, leaving her out to dry, but the episode ends with her and a bunch of random people humorously dancing around at the football game. The best part of this plot is the introduction of Bianca. The instant vibe is that she’s very Alex-ish…a blunt, no nonsense girl. But it’s also good that she’s played by an actress (Alicia Josipovic) who seems to fit into the role pretty naturally.

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SUBPLOT 2: Jenna finds out who has been calling KC.
You know that girl whose been calling KC’s phone so much lately? Well it’s KC’s mom. She’s out of jail, and she wants to see him. To be honest, the Jenna being jealous thing was pretty silly. Really Jenna, Marisol is calling KC during the middle of the schoolday knowing that you’ll probably be with him?

It still serves as a solid setup for the return of KC’s mom into his life. She’s nowhere to be found yet and KC’s already shutting down and pushing people away. I can only imagine how far he’ll spiral once he reaches his boiling point.

I don’t understand why everyone is so crazy about Eli already. I’m just starting to appreciate these newer characters like Claire and Riley. This was a great episode, and the fact that it didn’t feature a character I know nothing about nor care about, I don’t think that should make this qualify as a super bummer.

Ummm two things
FINALLY ALL Decent grades down the list! EVEN boycott the caf(the website that makes fun of degrassi) gave higher grades to the first couple episodes.
ALSO this is still my favorite quote of the season
” I had a miscarriage……super bummer”
Whats everyone else’s favorite quote?

***yh i didnt really like drew in this episode…hope he really isnt like this throughout the season. its really not far he blackmailed riley but then again he did get taped to the pole which i really liked because he deserved it. that was my favorite part which you hear the girl in the background saying “welcome to degrassi!” :)…but then drews mom had to come in and ruin the day…almost ruined the day for everybody! but at the end he got what he wanted which is not fair. at the end of the day…i just dont like drew.

I really like Bianca. I’m glad we have another “tough, no nonsense Alex-esque” girl. I think she’s going to be a good addition to the show.

Drew’s mom annoyed the crap out of me. And yes, it did seem like she was interfering with the Drew/Riley plotline. Still, I liked the plotline and it seems like it ended on a good note, with Zane giving Riley a little smile and a bit of reassurance “It should be you out there”. Zane is pretty awesome, and I think he’ll be a good influence on Riley, if he lets him!

The only thing I liked about the Alli plot was Bianca and the scene at the end, because I found it funny, with her just prancing around with her hands in the air. And did you see Dave’s moves?

KC’s storyline with his mother seems like it’ll be interesting. Jenna..not so much interested in her.

I get that KC has a big emotional story line with his mom coming up, but why have both he and Jenna’s wardrobe changed completely? Claire’s shows that she’s getting older and A is just adapting to style like she always does, but I noticed especially tonight KC and Jenna are suddenly dressing all different and it’s unrealistic to me. Plus, does he have to wear that hat in every scene?

I think it’s also because KC and Jenna are part of the popular crowd, so they have to “dress the part.” I saw a lot of kids shift into that circle in high school- they’d come back after summer vacation and be whole new person.

I’m in high school. I mean I don’t live in Canada, but I’m guessing teens are the same every where. And typically here the popular crowd doesn’t rock the style they are wearing, especially the football/cheerleader groups. And still, I need a scene without that hat.

Found better off alone. Watch it if you want. I loved it and I can’t wait to get me some more EClare. LOVE THEM. Maybe by posting this I’ll give myself some good karma and someone will post part 2…Soon.

I totally agree with everyone who said they didn’t like Drew in this episode. To me it was like his mom had to step in for him to make the football team. So yeah… way to “earn” it.

Jenna… Jenna… Jenna. Maybe it was just me but her hair with those braids… ICK. Of course, she had to go snooping through KC’s phone. I am sooooo beyond ready for that relationship to just END. lol

I liked Alli’s part. I thought it was cool how even though she didn’t have a crew behind her, she still went up and danced during the game. I also loved the random guy dancing in the stands like swinging his arms around attempting to “dance”:)

Tomarrow is the episode I have been waiting for… Clare and Eli and KC and his mom!:D

I think Degrassi does a great job on showing the ugly sides of their characters in order to make them more likeable. Exposing their insecurities and flaws, then flipping the switch and creating a storyline that shows viewers why they are the way they are is brilliant. It allows viewers to invest in the characters. Drew may be a jerk now, but I’m interested to see how he and Adam are as siblings and maybe that will explain things.

Either that or he’ll just stay a total d-bag. But I guess that’s why we have Fitz.

I HATE how Clare made that comment to her teacher about the two writing partners, and the girl killing herself. Totally makes me think they are going to have a Clare suicide now, cause of her parents fighting. AH!

Drew’s obviously the kind of guy that will do anything to achieve what he wants. In essence, if he went to Hogwarts he would be in Slytherin.

This episode was frustrating and definitely weaker than yesterdays. At the same time though I feel like Degrassi is going in a more realistic direction where plot lines go over several episodes instead of just one or two. Remember when Emma had an ED for two episodes? Totally ridiculous.

Like y’all have said, there was a small glimmer of hope that they will get back together.

On another note, Alli really should take a step back and realize that she does have friends that support her and she shouldn’t take them for granted. Who needs popularity when you have a strong support network?

The thing with Emma’s eating disorder is that while it began and came to a climax in a two-part episode, the time spanned in the episode itself is actually more than a couple of days. It’s been a while since I’ve seen the episode, but I distinctly recall there being a time jump between parts 1 and 2. Maybe somebody who recalls the specifics of the episode can elaborate more. It was at least a couple of weeks if not more, I think.

Well, it’s not like it hasn’t been mentioned since that episode. I remember in the season 6 premiere that she had taken up knitting to keep herself busy. I also seem to recall Spike mentioning it to Snake when he was having his pity party in season 7, and how she didn’t want Emma to stay there with him and chance falling back into it in order for her to feel like she was in control.

Could they have integrated it more into things? Sure, I suppose, but it’s not like they completely forgot about it, a la Kendra or Paige’s HIV scare.

In ‘Vensus’ when Manny and Emma are at the pool, Emma thought she looked fat in her bathing suit, so they kind of devloped her issue throughout the season with her body image. So when ‘My Lips Are Sealed’ Came out that’s when she started to have an eatting disorder. Also in ‘Hungry Eyes’

Great episode. KC’s past is finally coming to light, and I don’t blame Jenna for being nosy. I’m interested. I like Bianca, she seems like the love-child of Palex , rather than just Alex alone, lol. I wouldn’t be surprised if Drew is bisexual, because that’s why he didn’t rat out Riley. He’s a mama’s boy, though. I love Claire/Alli, though. “What do you when life gives you lemons?” “You throw them at Chantay.” They’re a fun bunch.

lol i was thinking that too that Drew could be bi so thats why he didnt out riley besides that I see no other reason still stopping him from telling everyone, hes got some good blackmail material for Riley for the rest of the season lmao

On another note, I forgot to add that Zane was right. This really is a result of Riley not wanting to come out. If Riley didn’t care what people thought of him, Drew never would have had anything to blackmail him with. He should have told the coach that Drew was blackmailing him. I’m sure that’s a punishable offense also. Schools not only have a zero tolerance policy for hazing but also for bullying which Riley could have said that Drew was doing to him.

And I also don’t think Drew is homophobic. I know they said that but I wonder if it was misspoken? He just seems selfish, but not homophobic.

From the previews is clear that he cares about Adam a lot and in this episode he seems completely at ease around Zane.

Like what the hell was up with Drew trying to bond with Riley after he blackmailed him into giving up his QB position? Or like Alli being so delusional that her newly formed dance crew would be able to perform before a football game only a day or two after they started practicing.

Or like Drew’s mother expecting Simpson and Armstrong to figure out who hazed Drew like an hour after it happened. Seriously, woman? Oh, yes, let’s act like everybody’s so incompetent because they couldn’t pull the proof of who had done it out of their asses right at that moment. Although, if Adam has gone through similar troubles at his past school, then maybe it makes sense that she just comes to not expect any sort of results from school officials. And then what the hell was with her expecting Drew to get starting QB just because he was hazed? I hope she chokes on her own BS.

I suspect that something will happen soon to Drew that will cause him to not be starting QB and for Riley to regain it. Maybe the players will unite against Drew because of his mother. If I were them, and this cocky new kid’s mom almost got the team suspended over an isolated incident, I’d be pissed and do anything I could to get this kid out of there and get a trusted teammate back.

And one more random thought before I stop my rambling: where the hell was this zero tolerance policy the previous year when Jane was being bullied on the team?

I think you’re probably on to something. I imagine Adam probably has gotten a lot of bullying at his old school and therefore Drew’s Mom is overactive in her children’s lives to make sure nothing is happening to them.

well, when jane was on the team they were under The Shep. and we all know that he was a complete asshole, so the whole point of his existence was that the rules didnt apply. if Mrs. H had still been principal, jane would have been avenged >:(

Yeah that wouldn’t really make sense that he’s homaphobic since his stepbrother is transgender. Im loving bianca but like everyone I know im gonna hate her since she treats my favorite charecter adam like shit. But I guess that just adds to her attitude. Still sad about alli leaving degrassi for some time I feel like her time on the show is on a count down lol. Why does everyone suddenly like jenna in boa lol seeing as how everyone basically hated her.

I’m glad they expanded on Bianca’s character I like her so far. After this episode I’m thinking we’re starting to see the down spiral of KC and Jenna :D lol Anyway good ep can’t wait for Better off Alone. Maybe they’ll reveal KC’s name since his mom will be there. Although Sam Earle said what KC stood for… hoping it’s a joke. If it is lol if it isn’t LOL!

KC is so boring. He’s been boring and impersonal since S8, and so far, still is. He’s one of those characters that is almost impossible to feel sympathetic towards – his storylines in S8 were told through the perspectives of other characters, and S9 was just “bad things happen, and more bad things happen” for KC. Not yet have we gotten a personal, inclusive storyline involving KC as a person. Think of it as the opposite of Craig – Craig was introduced in his own two-part premiere that not only gave us a HUGE and lasting first impression, but also gave us a good idea of who Craig was as a person and how he deals with things. KC is just one of those characters they keep building things off of, with no solid foundation for anyone to really give a crap. KC is one of thoese main characters that just sort of floats around while bad things happen. Yes, he’s been kind of a jerk lately (post-Clare), but he’s still not nearly as annoying as Jenna’s become this season.

Yeah, Jenna’s really annoying in S10 so far. Go away. Another “third-party” character (impersonal; feelings of sympathy but no empathy). Hopefully it changes. Shrug. I don’t really care for KC or Jenna.

Alli and Holly J, in my opinion, were the only interesting characters in S8. Some of them had potential, but i felt Alli and Holly J had some real tangible personality, and actually left an impression of the entire season. But in S10, Clare is really gaining some major points with me. She’s always had potential and she’s really become a memorable, crucial character in the show.

I don’t really like Bianca. I like that IDEA of Bianca though (there’s a difference!). The independent, “rebel”, outspoken characters who stir the drama pot are ALWAYS welcome. Especially for this show. BUT, as a person, she doesn’t really strike me as anything more than that. Judging from all the promos, Bianca just looks to be a third-party antagonist character, who was brought on the show to ignite conflict. I sort of see the resemblance to Alex, but I’m sorry, Alex to me, was one of the best(if not THE best) characters on the show. Deanna’s acting was ALWAYS on point, and every single line she delivered was gold. There’s a HUGE difference between Bianca and Alex. Huge.

I get you. I’m not crazy about Bianca, yet. So far, the new characters that have been introduced this season have been topnotch (to compensate for the useless character overload in s8: Leia, Blue, Kelly), but of the three (as we’ve yet to formally meet Adam), Bianca’s my least favourite. I definitely don’t dislike her, and I have a feeling that she’ll really shine in the episodes to come, but when it comes to “bad girls”, I prefer Alex’s more abrasive, surly personality. I think that Bianca looks too “cute” to be a bad girl. In her promo photos, she looks like she’s trying too hard to look tough. Alex had this effortless, smoldering glare that I bought as tough. Alex never looked like she was trying to look mean. She sort of had a naturally angry look (not that that’s a bad thing! Alex was hot!) Bianca, with her hot pink shirts and lipstick necklace…she seems too well-groomed for me to buy her as a real bad girl.

When are we going to get an explanation as to why Snake is the principal? I’m still waiting and getting more irritated by the moment.

I wonder what is up with Marco? He pops up as a student teacher and *poofs* he goes to Kenya land with Darcy, Derreck, Kendra, and Terry. Will he still be a student teacher this season? Ugh, so many unanswered questions!

We have watched the old cast of degrassi the next generation grow up and develop for years, then all of sudden a new cast with no closure for alot of the old cast. it bothers me because i have to get to know the new cast and still wonder what happened to the old cast.

I like what someone said a few days ago, start a new degrassi show with the old degrassi the next generation cast. they could own business, work and live in that area. like marco , who worked at the school. just a thought.

I for one completely hate the descriptions, haha. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve loved season ten so far, but something about the vague, matter-of-fact way that the descriptions are written just make the episode seem so bland and juvenile.
These really don’t excite me much at all, and I’m getting worried. They’re closer and closer to what is supposed to be the boiling point, yet they don’t sound very intense at all. I’m still holding out hope and taking them w/a grain of salt considering how much better the actual episodes have been compared to their descriptions so far, but these are not the plots or characters I imagined would be getting focus by this point, exlcuding My Body Is A Cage (which better not get renamed; Arcade Fire kicks arse!). I also thought that Tears Dry On Their Own was a Riley/Zane episode…I’m guessing they’ll get the C-plot that leads to the A-plot in Still Fighting It similar to what happened to KC in 99 Problems to Better Off Alone.

My Body Is A Cage sounds incredible. (Well as incredible as it can get with these very bland descriptions.) The descriptions are.. bad, but the episodes turned out great so far, so I’m sure these will be good too!

I’m certainly hoping so, hah. I do have to say that with the new format, the B-plot becomes MUCH more important (in the first three episodes, I could hardly distinguish which was the A-plot/B-plot because the abuse, election, and Sanya plots all seemed to get almost equal airtime) and all but two of these descriptions don’t even touch upon those, and I’m hoping the two that are mentioned actually end up as C-plots and many of the B-plots deal with some more intense subject matter, particularly the bullying/violence that would lead to a logical boiling point.

Is anyone else annoyed by the continuity error in that Degrassi is suddenly caught up with real world time?

Degrassi, since seasons 6-9, is supposed to be two years behind the real world. Yet in this episode Riley is looking up at the “Most Valuable Player” plaque or whatever, and the year and its the 2010-2011 school year.

Judging by all the descriptions I’ve read of him, I don’t think it’ll last. I secretly wish that they’ll end *that part* of the storyline by the end of the episode. They had better. I love him too much to see him unhappy.

Didn’t they say they talked to lgbt organizations about this episode, to make sure they were doing it right? That should be the first hint it wont last, because I’m sure these organizations wouldn’t support someone hiding who they really are to make other people happy. I could be completely wrong, but I’m just saying.

OKAY SO:
1. ELI AND CLARE SHOW THAT THEY DISLIKE EACHOTHER BUT ARE HIDING THAT THEY R CRUSHING ON EARCHOTHER
2.ELI IS HOT LMAO JKJK.:) BUT HE IS!!!!
3.ADAM IS GONA BE DEPRESSED WHEN PEOPLE FIND OUT HES TRANGENDER AND HE WILL BE TRYNA CHANGE WHO HE IS TO MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY BUT HIM:(
4.ALY THINKS HER AND DREW ARE IN A RELATIONSHIP WHEN DREW GETS ANNOYS BY HER HE CONFRONTS AND MAKES ALY DO DRASTIC MEASURES TO HAVE HIM/: HMM AS IF?!AHA
5.FITZ LIKES CLARE SO WILL THERE BE A PROBLEM ABOUT THAT?!THE ANSWERES YES CLARE IS THE TROPHY AND ELI AND FITZ ARE NOT GONA GET ALONG SINCE FITZ IS JELOUS OF ELI DATING CLARE.WILL THER BE DEATH??HM WELLL NOT BECAUSE OF THEM THINK AGAIN?
6.KC AND BIANCA ARE GONNA HAVE A THING WHEN KC DUMPS JENNA AFTER BEING ANNOYED THE HELL OUTTA HER!I AGREE SHE IS SO ANNOYING!!
7.DECLAN AND HOLLLY JS RELATIONSHIP IS PUT ON HOLD AND HAVING TROUBES WHAT WILL HAPPEN?
8.DAVE CONNOR WHESTLEY TRY TO GET GFs BUT CONNOR IS THE ONLY ONE WHO ENDS UP GETTING ONE?….DAVE TRIES GETTING OVER ALY….STILL!
WELL THATS ALL I KNOW FOR NOW SO YA AHA MUNRO CHAMBERS FOREVER!<33 HEHE

I don’t like how Degrassi is creating new characters that are virtually carbon copies of the old characters that have since left Degrassi and moved on with their lives. Clearly they are modeling KC after Sean, but he will never be as complex as Sean. Plus, he needs to stop wearing that hat…that’s the signature of the “bad” Sean. Even though Holly J is obviously based off Paige, I do love her ruthlessness. My favorite line from Degrassi Takes Manhattan is “This is New York Holly J. b*tch”, as she locks Fiona in that room lol.

But Highschool is just like that. You will always see the same “characters” over and over again. There will always be the troubled kid, the flirty girl, the mean girl, the good girl, the bullies, the geeks…etc. No matter how many years pass,you will always see those types of Kids in Highschool It’s auctually very realistic.

Exactly…and not some contrived character like these other teen dramas…where guys are “magically” turning gay *cough 90210 *cough just for that “OMG” factor…granted drama is great in shows! …but sometimes its just plain ridiculous! thats why I love the realness factor…and yes you can tell the they took some of the characteristics from the older characters for the new ones…but they obviously have changed…for example Holly J turned nicer because she got a major reality check, and Paige got plenty of reality checks and she was still a bitch!

I kinda hope not. Because (A), there would be a ton of people complaining that too similar of a situation happened with Snake and Hatzilakos and (B), they could show how just because a family is having marital problems, it doesn’t necessarily mean infidelity.

Not as principal dude. There was a ‘wild’ rumor out there that in future episodes, Clare’s parents were going to have marital problems and that the Shep was going to be a love interest for Clare’s mom.

I really feel bad for KC, Jenna just has to calm down and trust her boy! i definitely think at some point Alli and Bianca are going to do some teaming up, but not before some serious drama. Drew should just leave, I dont think anyone likes that kid, I was so happy to see him on the flagpole :) but thats mean.

im just as huge an Adam fan as everyone else, but i find it kinda funny that we’re all calling him “my Adam” and saying what huge fans of him we are, when we havent even seen him on screen yet. and yet . . . i too already love him.

URGH!!!M0RE ELi!<3 My fUTURE bF(: aha anyone agree? I can't wait to see him when he becomes more of a charctor btw Eli and Clare are so adorable together!(: and can't wait for part two of better off alone

hey i was just wondering who was the person sitting with bianca when she was talking to k.c about the alcohol in better off alone part one? the person was in a hooded sweatshirt and you can only see their back because they were across from bianca. just wondering because it looked suspicious to me.

ah i love this show … in MY opinion these episodes are better i have to say because they are doing more expanding more it just sucks that they are repeating plot lines and characters well border lining them … i still love the show regardless :)
DEGRASSI FTW!!

i cant download anything cause it slows down my computer, which is already painfully slow. so if someone would be so kind as to post boa2 on zshare . . . it would be greatly appreciated :) (PLEASE!!!!!)

Awww. Better Off Alone (2) was a very heartwarming episode (besides the stupid Drew/Alli plot that was better in part 1). The ending actually made me teary-eyed a little bit. I’ve never been teary-eyed over Degrassi before xD

Alli has become the most insufferable character in Degrassi history. There has never been a storyline this bad where I thought someone was as pathetic as she was.

First of all, if you start a dance club just to get friends and mindlessly dance there’s a better chance you get tortured Rick Murray style over making friends. Luckily, that Bianca actually turned it into a hip-hop dance group.

Secondly, this girl has no self confidence. Listening to her speak can probably induce vomit quicker than syrup of ipacac. Nothing she says is interesting at all, unless listening to a pathetic person inspires you.

They really need to change this girl’s character. Else, I really hope that when Sav graduates their whole family moves and she’s written off the show. Just atrocious.

boa2 was fantastic!
**spoilers**
the whole kc plot was sweet, but i doubt we’ve seen the last of outlaw kc.
alli/drew was pointless in this one. i guess it needed to happen, but seriously, nothing actually occurred, and we really didnt need the trouble of “but im too busy to have a gf . . . oh wait, never mind, wanna make out?” it really just put us right back where we were at the end of boa1.
and i LOVED the eclare plot. i completely sympathize with clare. i’ve actually been in an astoundingly similar situation of writing something rather personal about my parents and then having to read it out loud to the class. and eli is sooo AWESOME. “could you BE more smug?” “absolutely!” LOLZ.

OMG! I had this thought a while ago but now I’m so happy I got it right! Adam is Drew’s sister!! In the boiling point promos you hear someone yelling what did you do to my sister, and it wasn’t declan. And before that you see Drew concerned and talking to Adam, asking if she/he is ok!! And finally to confirm, Drew’s and Adam’s extended character twitter’s both have the last name Torres. If you guys knew this already I’m sorry for being slow but this is really cool to me!

Drew needs to be shot. Seriously. It’s homophobic bullies like him why we have kids getting bullied into suicide. This was an extremely bad decision and the fact that Riley never got justice is sadly only the start of their continued abuse of their LGBT characters.